Electric regulator



Nov. 20, 1945. L. R. NIXON ELECTRIC REGULATOR Filed Feb. 15, 1944 I II fl 7 E F,

Patented Nov. 20, 1945 ELECTRIC REGULATOR Leslie Reginald Nixon, New Eltham, England, as-

signor to J. Stone & Company Limited, Deptford, England, a joint-stock company of Great Britain Application February 15, 1944, Serial No. 522,521 In Great Britain February 19, 1943 3 Claims.

This invention of improvements in and connected with electric regulators of the carbon pile type is concerned with regulators wherein cmpression of the pile is varied by a magnet having a clapper type armature operating against a spring. In such regulators, the pile is bodily adjustable so that the spring stressed armature may be given a desired setting and so that the maximum compression of the pile can be given a desired value.

A clapper type armature is one which is movable about a pivotal axis. In some cases, the armature may rock about a pivot pin but in other cases the armature may be mounted by the aid of plate or blade springs disposed at right angles to one another, so that the pivot axis: is about at the point of intersection of the planes containing the said springs.

The object of the present invention is to provide indicating means by the aid of which the condition of the regulator can be readily observed and readjusted to the original setting, as for example upon the replacement of worn carbon discs in the pile.

According to the present invention, the pivoted armature, or a part connected therewith, is provided with an indicating device operating in conjunction with a device supported upon the framing of the regulator and adapted for giving a visual indication of the setting of the pile for the purpose aforesaid.

In order to enable the invention to be readily understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one construction of carbon pile regulator fitted with the present improvements, and

Figure 2 is a sectional view to a larger scale illustrating in detail the pile adjusting means seen at the left hand side of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, a is the armature of a magnet b which becomes operative, as hereinafter described, for decompressing a carbon pile c. The armature a is a U-shaped piece, the limbs of the U being blade-like parts a which enter polar gaps of the magnet b when the latter is energized with sufficient strength by its coil N. The armature a is fixedly mounted on the extremity of the stem of a Y-shaped hollow casting d which is hingedly or pivotally mounted. For

' example. at the end of each of the branches of the Y-shaped casting there is an integral block or lateral projection d d formed with flat faces. One of the latter serves for the attachment of one end of a vertical spring blade 6 having its other end attached to a flat vertical face of a frame bar f. Another flat face of the said projections serves for the attachment of one end of a horizontal spring blade c which intersects the blade 6 at right angles and has its other end fixed on a flat surface on the top of the frame bar 2. These spring blades e e form, in known manner a hinge mounting for the casting d, the hinge axis being at the point of intersection of the blades e 6 As can be seen in the front part of Figure 1, the blade e is slotted so that it can be intersected by the horizontal blade 6 Each of the projections d d (as can be seen in the case of (1 has an offset extension or arm (1 to which is affixed one end of a flexible link in the form of a flexible metal strip 9. The opposite end of each of the links g is attached to one of two diametrically oppositely disposed lugs h of a presser plate or ring :1 which presses against the movable end of the pile c. The projection d is formed with a slotted lug providing an anchorage for one end of a loading spring is, the opposite end of the latter being adjustably anchored to a frame plate, as shown. The projection 01 is formed with a lug in which is fixedly attached the stem of a counterweight 1 designed to counterbalance the casting d and armature a on the other side of the hinge axis. A bar 172 seen in Figure 1 is connected at its ends in known manner with flexible supports, such as bow springs m for ensuring that the said bar m is movable only in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the carbon pile c. The bar m is connected rigidly with the presser plate 7' but this, being a known feature, needs no particular illustration or description.

The counterweight I has fixedly attached to it a pointed plate 11 on which are marked an indicator line and an arrow head, as shown in Figure 1. On an adjacent curved part of a frame plate 0 there is provided an indicator mark or line 0 which is aligned with the indicator line of the pointer n when a correct adjustment has been effected as hereinafter described.

Means for adjusting the pile 0 may be as illustrated in detail in Figure 2, wherein the immovable end of the pile c has a presser ring 0 which is abutted against a presser plate :0 formed with a screw threaded boss p The latter screws in a radially slotted nut q disposed between a base plate r and a clamping plate 3 supported on the base plate at one end by studs .9 The plate 5 can be flexed for clamping and holding the nut q by means of an adjustable screw stud s at the other end. The plate p is prevented from turning by any suitable means. Thus, its boss p may be formed with a keyway p which is engaged by a toothlike projection of the clamping plate s.

The indicator device functions in the following manner: When the magnet b is de-energized, the regulator is put under test on the bench, the spring is being adjusted so as to impart a desired compression to the pile c by Way of the projections 01 and d flexible links g and presser plate or ring 7'. An adjustment of the armature position is made by turning the nut q one way or the other, a suitable blade or tool being engaged with its radial slots for this purpose, this adjustment being made so as to ensure that during working, the armature will operate in correct relation to the magnet slots. When the correct settings of spring and armature have been made, the clamp plate 8 is tightened to hold the nut q against movement and the mark is made on the frame member 0 in alignment with the indicator mark on the pointer n. The regulator is then ready for service. In service, the magnet b when sufiiciently energised, attracts the armature blades a and plate a and overcomes the spring is thereby decompressing the pile c in known manner. After a period of service, some of the carbon discs in the pile cmay become worn and this will be shown by the indicator line of the pointer n failing to align with the mark 0 when the magnet b is de-energized. This wear may be taken up by adjusting the nut q to efiect re-alignment. Similarly, if the regulator has at any time to be repaired by substituting fresh carbon discs in the pile, all that is necessary to reset the regulator after fitting the new discs is to adjust the nut q until the pointer 11 lines up with the mark 0 when the magnet b is de-energized. This enables the original pile conditions to be restored on the spot and without the loss of time involved in returning the regulator to a test station, mounting it on a test bench, and making afresh all the original tests.

The indicator device of these improvements never interferes with the movement of the armature a but it shows at all times the condition of the pile c; when the pile is worn or a new pile has been fitted it enables the regulator to be reset with accuracy without a return to the test bench.

I claim:

1. An electric regulator comprising in combination a resistor pile, an adjustable abutment engaging one end of said pile, a presser device en- 2. An electric regulator comprising in combi nation a resistor pile, an adjustable abutment engaging one end of said pile, a presser device engaging the opposite end of said pile, a hingedly mounted two-armed lever comprising a short arm and a long arm, operative connections between the short arm of said lever and said presser device, a spring constantly operative upon said short arm in the direction for compressin said pile, an electro-magnet, an armature mounted on the long arm of said lever and cooperative with said magnet for decompressing said pile, a pointer fixedly mounted on said short arm so as to extend angularly therefrom, and means on the regulator framing in indicative relation with said pointer. V

3. An electric regulator comprising in combination a resistor pile, an adjustable abutment engaging one end of said pile, a presser device engaging the opposite end of said pile, a hingedly mounted two-armed lever comprising a short arm and a long arm, operative connections between the short arm of said lever and said presser device, a spring constantly operative upon said short arm in the direction for compressing said pile, an electro-magnet, an armature mounted on the long arm of said lever and cooperative with said magnet for decompressing said pile, a counterweight mounted on said short arm, a plate fixedly mounted on said counterweight and extending therefrom as a swingable pointer, and means on the regulator framing in indicative relation with said pointer.

LESLIE REGINALD NIXON. 

